<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Eyes of the Beholder by Intangibel (duskbutterfly)</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29878959">Eyes of the Beholder</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/duskbutterfly/pseuds/Intangibel'>Intangibel (duskbutterfly)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shadowhunters (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Human, Art School, Life Drawing Class, M/M, No beta we die like mne, Nude Modeling, Tumblr Prompt, Why Did I Write This?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:43:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,086</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29878959</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/duskbutterfly/pseuds/Intangibel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on a prompt by Magnusbae on Tumblr.<br/>Alec is an art student and Magnus is their regular nude model AU<br/>Magnus often gets to keep the student’s sketches, he’s kind and charming, the students line up to even just show those to him. Everyone does, expect for Alec, who never so much as allowed Magnus a glimpse. Increasingly curious, Magnus starts looking at Alec during the sessions, occasionally sneaking a wink and rendering Alec incapable of drawing at all.<br/>Quickly growing too flustered to properly function, Alec starts avoiding Magnus, running off the class the second it concludes and generally making sure to not make eye contact, at all. So it happens that one day, he forgets his sketchbook.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>145</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Eyes of the Beholder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunswords/gifts">bunswords</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Okay so this is a plot bunny that got *completely* out of hand. </p>
<p><a>Prompt by Magnusbae</a><br/><em>Alec is an art student and Magnus is their regular nude model AU</em> <br/><i>Magnus often gets to keep the student’s sketches, he’s kind and charming, the students line up to even just show those to him. Everyone does, expect for Alec, who never so much as allowed Magnus a glimpse. <br/>Increasingly curious, Magnus starts looking at Alec during the sessions, occasionally sneaking a wink and rendering Alec incapable of drawing at all.<br/>Quickly growing too flustered to properly function, Alec starts avoiding Magnus, running off the class the second it concludes and generally making sure to not make eye contact, at all. So it happens that one day, he forgets his sketchbook.<br/>While knowing full well that he shouldn’t and that it’s impolite, Magnus finds himself unable to resist temptation and takes a quick peak inside. The next time he sees Alec, it’s his turn to avert his gaze and faintly blush :) </i></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Magnus spots the sketchbook as he ducks out from behind the decorative screen that doubles as a change room. He's back in his street clothes, his robe folded and ready to be put in the gym bag he left near the couch he'd been posing on. The sketchbook is wedged between two of the tables, as though it slid off before it could be packed away, it's distinctive cream pages only visible from a half stooped position. Abandoning his silk robe on the nearest table Magnus reaches out, deft fingers gripping, twisting, tugging until at last, it comes free. That's when he notices the letters printed neatly in silver on the black cover: A LIGHTWOOD. Magnus pauses, glancing around to check he's alone as his fingers brush over the letters. He shouldn't. Magnus knows enough artists, has been a model and a muse for more than enough of them to know that viewing their work should be offered not stolen. And yet. Magnus’ teeth sink into his lip as he recalls the faint blush across Alec’s pale cheeks when Magnus winked at him, the way his breath had caught this evening when Magnus had arched his neck back for that final long pose. He wants to know how Alec sees him. He's felt his eyes trail his body like a caress, seen the smudges of charcoal on his fingers and the temptation is more than he can bear. Just a quick peek, he promises himself. Then my curiosity will be sated and I can pass it along to Clary to return it before the next class. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Magnus sits down hard, the breath stolen from his lungs as he stares at the drawing just inside the front cover. He's seen a lot of drawings and paintings of himself over the years. He sees his body as beautiful and enjoys seeing other’s interpretations of it. But this seems different, it feels like more than a superficial rendering of his physical form. It reminds him of the awe he felt standing in front of one of the classical marble sculptures, so certain that if he reached out and touched he’d feel skin and fabric and not smooth hard stone. There's a reverence in the way Alec’s drawn him. A softness in the way he's captured the tiny details so many miss - the scar on his right knee, the lines on his palm that are so familiar he can't help bringing his hand up to the page to compare them. But more than that, it's as though he's captured more than just Magnus’ skin and bones. Like he's somehow reached deeper, hinting at his soul in the way he's captured his expression. Unable to stop himself, Magnus flips through the rest of the pages, marvelling at the other man’s talent. And at the way he sees Magnus. Like he's some kind of God or angel to be worshipped. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Magnus recognises the seated pose, the way he's curled around himself in a deep twist and knows that he's reached the second last page. His fingers shake as he move, running along the edge of it as he realises what's coming next. He’d be lying if he said he hadn't been thinking about Alec when he’d chose that pose, knowing that it was an awful idea from a practical perspective, that he'd struggle to maintain it for the full thirty minutes and yet being unable to shake the idea once it had come to him. Unable to resist teasing a certain artist who cursed so beautifully every time his poses were even slightly provocative. The words had been particularly vehement but breathless when Magnus had started to shift himself into this position. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Swallowing roughly, Magnus turned the page and it's his turn to swear. It's an almost photographic rendering of the pose. His knees spread wide as though straddling someone’s lap, his torso arched, his head thrown back, lips parted and fingers twined deep in his hair. The only difference between how he'd held himself and the man on the page is that he looks like he's in the throes of ecstasy. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The single most important rule of long poses is to find a position you can relax it into, a point where your body supports itself and can be soft.Yet here ever muscle is flexed, straining. He can almost see the reaching, gasping need. Almost feel the sharp tug of his fingers pulling at his hair, almost feel that slight sheen of sweat that comes from being so close to the precipice. He can feel his heart racing, feel himself hardening and with a jerk he tears his eyes away, closing the sketchbook with a snap. His breath sounds loud in the silence of the studio as he tries to get himself back under control. He's no longer surprised Alec managed to forget the sketchbook he usually guards so closely or that he'd left the second Magnus had been distracted by another approaching him with a drawing. Magnus isn't quite sure how he's going to look him in the eyes next class, can already feel his cheeks heating just thinking about it. He may have made the first move, may have challenged him but Alexander had responded with checkmate. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He's still sitting on the edge of the table, sketchbook held right in his hands when the door opens suddenly behind him and heavy footfalls stop abruptly with an indrawn breath in the shape of his name. For a moment neither of them dares to move, instinct having frozen each in their place. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Would you like to go out for a drink sometime, Alexander?” Magnus asks, his cheeks hot as he turns to look over his shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The bashful smile he gets in return belies the heat in the other man’s eyes as they flick down to Magnus’ lips before locking with his again. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How about now? I mean, if you don't -”</span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Believe me, there's nothing is rather be doing than -” Magnus pauses, delighting in the way Alec tongue darts out moistening his lips as he hangs on Magnus’ words, no doubt hearing the unspoken implication of exactly what he wants. </span>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Later he’ll ask if it lived up to the expectation? He’ll feel teeth scrape over the marks on his neck as a shudder runs through the man beneath him. Will almost come again at the blunt praise that spills from those lips, at the look of reverence as he says that Magnus even more beautiful than he could have imagined. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You can also find me on <a href="%E2%80%9D">Tumblr</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>